Motherwell Cathedral

Motherwell Cathedral
Cathedral Church of Our Lady of Good Aid
File:Motherwell Cathedral - Geograph-3626472-by-Anne-Burgess.jpg
Motherwell Cathedral is located in North Lanarkshire Motherwell Cathedral Shown within North Lanarkshire
Location	Motherwell, Lanarkshire
Country	Scotland
Denomination	Roman Catholic
Website	motherwell-cathedral.org.uk
History
Consecrated	As Church in 1900, As Cathedral in 1948
Architecture
Architect(s)	Pugin & Pugin
Style	Gothic Revival
Years built	1899-1900
Groundbreaking	1899
Completed	1900
Specifications
Capacity	1000 Seated
Administration
Archdiocese	Archdiocese of Glasgow
Diocese	Diocese of Motherwell (since 1948)
Province	Ecclesiastical Province of Glasgow
Clergy
Bishop(s)	Joseph Toal
Dean	Very Rev Thomas Canon Millar V.G.
Laity
Organist(s)	John Pitcathley
100px

The Cathedral Church of Our Lady of Good Aid, popularly known as Motherwell Cathedral, is a Roman Catholic cathedral located in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is the seat of the Bishop of Motherwell, and mother church of the Diocese of Motherwell.

History

The Church of Our Lady of Good Aid, Motherwell was opened on Monday 9 December 1900. In 1948, the church was elevated to the status of cathedral after the new Motherwell Diocese was erected as a suffragan see by the apostolic constitution Maxime interest. The Scottish Catholic Directory of 1901 includes in the list of events for the year 1899-1900 the "Opening of the Church of Our Lady of Good Aid, Motherwell" on Monday 9 December 1900, the feast of the Immaculate Conception transferred from Sunday. It includes a description of the church's dimensions and principal architectural features.

Music

Motherwell Cathedral's organ was renovated in 2008, and is noted for its size. It was electronically modified with a new console installed. With four manuals it is the largest organ of any Roman Catholic church in the West of Scotland. The cathedral organist is John Pitcathely, who played the organ at both of the Papal visits to Scotland. The Motherwell Diocesan Choir sings at many of the major services in the cathedral and also sings at the 5.30pm vigil Mass on Saturdays. The Motherwell Diocesan Choir, which is distinct from the Cathedral Choir, is directed by John Pitcathely.

Architecture

The cathedral was designed in the Gothic revival style by the celebrated architects Pugin and Pugin and resembles many Catholic churches designed by them in Scotland, England and Ireland. The church originally had a high altar and two side altars. However, these and much of the ornate decoration were lost in the re-ordering of the sanctuary in 1984 in accordance with the reforms of the Second Vatican Council.

Services

Saturday vigil 5.30pm

Sunday 10.30am, 6.30pm

Monday - Saturday 10.00am

Clergy

List of Pastor of the Parish Church of Our Lady of Good Aid

• Reverend James Gilmour 1875-1877
• Reverend James Glancey D.D. 1877-1888
• Very Reverend John Canon Taylor 1888-1917
• Right Reverend Monsignor Thomas Canon Currie 1917-1935
• Reverend Bartholomew Atkinson 1935-1946
• Reverend Denis Flynn 1947-1956

List of Deans of the Cathedral Church of Our Lady of Good Aid (Motherwell Cathedral)

• Reverend Denis Flynn 1947-1956
• Right Reverend Monsignor Gerard M. Rogers 1956-1960
• Right Reverend Monsignor John Conroy 1960-1981
• Very Reverend Noel Canon Carey 1981-2011
• Right Reverend Monsignor Thomas Canon Millar V.G. 2011–present

The Parish Priest of the Cathedral is Very Rev. Thomas Canon Millar V.G. who replaced Very Rev. Noel Canon Carey in June 2011. Canon Millar is also Parish Priest of St Luke's Motherwell.

See also

• List of cathedrals in the United Kingdom

External links

• Motherwell Cathedral homepage